RAMALLAH, August 9, 2015 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Prisoner’s Club (PPC) Sunday said that the number of Palestinian prisoners who joined the open-ended hunger strike in Israeli jails have reached 148 prisoners.

Palestinian prisoners launched a hunger strike  in protest of a recent surge in maltreatment and suppression by the Israeli prison authorities against them.

In a statement, PPC said that 120 prisoners, who are affiliated with Fatah faction and imprisoned in the Israeli Nafha jail, have been on a hunger strike  for 5 consecutive days.

Meanwhile, it said that 26 prisoners, who are held in Israeli Rimon jail and affiliated with various factions, including Fatah, The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Islamic Jihad, have joined the strike on Saturday.

Two more prisoners, who are held in Eshel jail, also joined the hunger strike on Saturday.

To be noted, Palestinian prisoner, Mohammed Allan, who is imprisoned without charge or trial, has been on a hunger strike for 54 consecutive days in protest against his administrative detention.

The Israeli prison administration announced Friday that it would begin the force-feeding of Allan after obtaining a court ruling.

In a Friday press release, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) expressed its concerns over the deteriorating health of hunger-striking detainee ‘Allan and warned that his life is at immediate risk.

In the early 80s, three Palestinian prisoners identified as Ali al-Gabari, Rasim Halaweh, and Ishaq Mraghweh, were killed as a result of being forced fed while on a hunger strike in Israeli jails.

“Force-feeding constitutes a serious violation of human rights and the right of a person to do as they wish with their body,” said the Joint List oppositionist Arab group in the Knesset.

“International human rights groups and health organizations took a position based on ethics, morality, and science. This law asks doctors to violate a centuries-old oath.”

T.R.